Knebworth House facts for kids
Knebworth House is a famous old house in Hertfordshire, England. It's a special building, listed as Grade II* because of its history and beauty. The gardens around the house are also very important and are listed as Grade II*.
Near the house, you can find the old St. Mary's Church and a special building called the Lytton Mausoleum, where the Lytton family is buried. Knebworth House used to belong to the Earl of Lytton family. Now, it's the home of the family of the Baron Cobbold.
The large park around the house is also famous for the Knebworth Festival. This is a big outdoor rock and pop concert that has been held there since 1974.
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History of Knebworth House
The Lytton family has lived at Knebworth House since 1490. Back then, it was a red-brick Late Gothic manor house. It was built around a central open courtyard.
Over time, the house changed a lot. In 1813–16, much of the house was taken down, leaving only the west wing. This part was then updated in a Tudor Gothic style. Later, in 1843-45, it was completely changed into the Tudor Gothic building you see today.
Knebworth's most famous resident was Edward Bulwer-Lytton (1803–1873). He was a well-known Victorian author, writer of plays, and a politician. He made the gardens even more beautiful in a formal Italian style.
His great-grandson, Neville, married Judith Blunt. She was famous for breeding horses and took care of the Crabbet Arabian Stud. For a short time in 1913–1914, the house was rented by Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich of Russia and his wife, Natalia Brasova.
Many parts of the inside of Knebworth House were redesigned by Sir Edwin Lutyens. He was a famous architect who married Lady Emily Bulwer-Lytton. Lady Emily's father, the 1st Earl of Lytton, was an important leader in India. A special herb garden with a unique design was planned by Gertrude Jekyll in 1907, but it wasn't planted until 1982. The gardens are now open for everyone to visit.
Today, the 3rd Baron Cobbold lives at the house with his family. He used to work in the film industry. Now, he lets movie companies film scenes at the house and in the gardens. The grounds also have fun things for visitors, like an adventure playground and a dinosaur park. They also host events like classic car shows.
Knebworth Music Festival
Since 1974, a big outdoor rock and pop concert called the Knebworth Festival has been held in the grounds. The first festival was in July 1974. Bands like The Allman Brothers Band and The Doobie Brothers played for about 60,000 people.
Over the years, many famous artists have played at the festival. These include Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Queen. Queen's concert in 1986 was their last with their singer, Freddie Mercury. Other big names include Paul McCartney, Genesis, Mike Oldfield, The Beach Boys, Deep Purple, Eric Clapton, Elton John, Dire Straits, Robbie Williams, Oasis, and Liam Gallagher.
Knebworth House in Movies and TV
Knebworth House has been used as a filming location for many movies and TV shows. Its grand look makes it perfect for different stories.
Some of the productions filmed at Knebworth include:
- Anastasia (1956) – used as the Empress's palace
- The Avengers – "Invasion of the Earthmen" (1967/68)
- Carry On Henry - Exterior shots (1970)
- The Persuaders! - opening credits (1970/71)
- The Great Muppet Caper (1981) – exterior of the Mallory Gallery
- Batman (1989) – exterior and some inside scenes of Bruce Wayne's manor
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001) - used for promotional materials and the film's launch, but not in the movie itself.
- 28 Days Later (2002)
- Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London (2004) – some scenes in and around the grounds
- The Queen (2006)
- St Trinian's 2: The Legend of Fritton's Gold (2009) – used as the St. Trinian's all-girl school
- The King's Speech (2010) – for party scenes
- The Flash (2023) – Exterior of Wayne Manor
- The Gentlemen (2024 TV Series) – Season 1 Episode 4, called 'Dorset Hall'
Radio Station
A local radio station called BOB FM (now Heart Hertfordshire) used to broadcast from Knebworth. Their studio was in the house's old pump house, which once supplied water to the main building.
See also
In Spanish: Knebworth House para niños
- Homewood, Knebworth, another house nearby
